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Energy developments in the United States are profound and their effect will be felt well beyond North America – and the energy sector.  The recent rebound in US oil and gas production, driven by upstream technologies that are unlocking light tight oil and shale gas resources, is spurring economic activity – with less expensive gas and electricity prices giving industry a competitive edge – and steadily changing the role of North America in global energy trade. By around 2020, the United States is projected to become the largest global oil producer (overtaking Saudi Arabia until the mid-2020s) and starts to see the impact of new fuel-efficiency measures in transport. The result is a continued fall in US oil imports, to the extent that North America becomes a net oil exporter around 2030.

The World Economic Forum: Global Risks Report 2013 analyses 50 global risks in terms of impact, likelihood and interconnections, based on a survey of over 1000 experts from industry, government and academia.

This year's findings show that the world is more at risk as persistent economic weakness saps our ability to tackle environmental challenges.

The report highlights wealth gaps (severe income disparity) followed by unsustainable government debt (chronic fiscal imbalances) as the top two most prevalent global risks. Following a year scarred by extreme weather, from Hurricane Sandy to flooding in China, respondents rated rising greenhouse gas emissions as the third most likely global risk overall.

There are also two risks appearing in the top five of both impact and likelihood – chronic fiscal imbalances and water supply crisis.

G-20 Clean Energy Factbook

Who's winning the clean energy race ?

Growth Competition and Opportunity in the World's Largest Economies

Companies and countries have experienced ups and downs in the worldwideclean energy race in recent years, and 2011 was no exception. For consumers, however, the clean energy race has been consistently positive, driving down prices and interjecting new renewable energy choices int oa marketplace dominated by century-old technologies. Price competition is the defining characteristic of the clean energy race in 2011, spurring investment and deployment, increasing global clean energy capacity, and creating opportunities for innovators, entrepreneurs, and workers.

The clean energy sector continued its decade-long rally by attracting $263 billion worth of investment in 2011. Excluding research and development spending, investment in the sector is now more than 600 percent higher than in 2004, when reliable data collection commenced. As a result of this rapid growth, the clean energy sector recorded its trillionth dollar invested in 2011.

Water for Business

Initiatives guiding sustainable water management in the private sector

Version 2 March 2010